Urban Wire

COVID-19 Relief Legislation Offers a Historic Opportunity to Support the ECE Workforce

How stimulus funding can support evidence-based improvements to the well-being of the ECE workforce.

Contracts Can Support the Child Care Workforce but Require Thinking outside the Box

To prevent permanent job loss and damage to a field dominated by women of color, contracts should be designed creatively and with a focus on equity.

Job Market and Labor Force

The American Families Plan Comes with a Modest Price Tag for Paid Leave but a Large Impact for Workers

Initial estimates from the administration suggest its proposal for paid leave will cost about $225 billion over 10 years. This is much lower than previous estimates of the FAMILY Act.

Job Market and Labor Force

Will Older Adults Return to the Workforce?

More adults age 65 and older left the labor force in 2020 than in any year since the US began tracking such information in 1948.

Job Market and Labor Force

Policymakers Can Enact a Paid Family and Medical Leave Program and Honor the Biden-Harris Tax Pledge

The vast scope of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for a comprehensive national paid leave benefit.

Job Market and Labor Force

Immediate Actions Policymakers Could Take to Support the CC/ECE Workforce

Without efforts to stabilize the child care field and to address the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis, we risk permanent job loss.

Job Market and Labor Force

Strengthening Paid Leave Policies Could Yield Positive Work and Health Outcomes

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown people respond differently to a health shock. For workers experiencing extended hardship, return to work services are vital.

Job Market and Labor Force

Building Power for Freelance Arts Workers—and All Independent Contractors—Will Make Them More Resilient to Economic Shocks

Low wages, wage theft, and unstable employment leave freelance arts workers in precarious conditions.

Job Market and Labor Force

For Most Workers, the Latest COVID-19 Vaccine Developments Won’t Mean Protection Just Yet

Black, Native American, and Hispanic/Latinx workers are more likely to work in person and in close proximity to others, putting them at greater risk of contracting COVID-19.

Job Market and Labor Force

A National Paid Sick Leave Policy Could Provide a Lifeline for Americans during and after COVID-19

When the Families First Coronavirus Response Act ends on December 31, millions of Americans will be faced with the dilemma of losing a paycheck or going to work while sick.